You put your arms around me and I'm home
by Chia-writes
Summary: Alex and Maggie go visit Eliza in Midvale after Alex's near miss in 2x19- baby pics, walks on the beach and lots of love and healing.


So we still ignoring the entirety of season 3? Cool. So I know weve all been having a complete breakdown over Maggie sawyer- when Maggie talked about how her parents erased her GOD I cried- so I came up with this idea to make me feel better. This idea also stemmed from all the eliza feels I got in 3x03

Heads up!- this is set between 2x19 and 2x20

Hope you enjoy!

Eliza had come to National City to see Alex as soon as she had heard about what happened. She had stayed for a couple days to keep a closer eye on Alex. She hated not being able to be there with her more. She knew her daughters had their own lives, but she missed them deeply. With the lives that they led, seeing them more regularly was a necessity- and that was something that she had resolved to make happen. That's why she had insisted that they all come to Midvale as soon as Alex was able to.

Kara had unfortunately been unable to come with them because of work but she had made sure that Alex and Maggie still went together.

Alex was due to go back to work on Monday so they left Saturday afternoon and planned to stay a night as Maggie had managed to get most of the weekend off.

So that's where Alex and Maggie found themselves now- outside Alex's childhood home.

Alex looked back at Maggie with a soft smile before knocking on the door. The door was opened by Eliza and her face formed into a huge, warm smile soon when she saw them.

"Alex, sweetheart," Eliza said to Alex as she took her into a hug. She leant back, cupping Alex's face, taking a closer look at her. "How have you been?" She looked Alex over, checking her and Alex rolled her eyes in that good-humoured way at the fussing.

"I'm okay mom. I told you I'm much better."

"I know you did honey. Is a mother not allowed to worry?" Eliza said with soft amusement. She looked to Maggie who was standing quietly behind Alex, a soft smile on her face at their greeting.

"Maggie," Eliza said, turning to her with a smile and taking her in a hug, squeezing her a little. "It's so good to see you sweetheart." She couldn't help but look at Maggie too, in a subtler way, to check how she was. The last time she had seen her, Maggie had look tired and drained. She didn't blame her after what she had been through. Eliza looked at her for a moment and Maggie smiled in that way that showed Eliza that Maggie was still shy around her.

Eliza was still getting to know Maggie. Maggie was reserved. Most of their previous meetings hadn't exactly been the get-to-know-each-other-properly type. And Eliza knew Maggie was the type of person who had to be really comfortable before opening up to someone. Alex had told her about Maggie's past and Eliza feel protective of her. She took Maggie by the arm as she brought her in.

xxx

After putting their bags away, Alex showed Maggie around the house. There were many pictures of Alex and Kara and Eliza and Jeremiah. Maggie smiled as she looked at Alex's younger self but she noticed that there weren't any pictures of Alex before she was a teenager- they were mostly of both her and Kara together. She turned to Alex to ask her about it.

"There's no pictures of you as a kid?"

Alex smiled softly at the question. "When Kara came, I took them down…I didn't want to remind her of her childhood and upset her," she explained gently. And Maggie's heart softened for her girlfriend and she smiled at her in that way she did whenever she thought Alex was too selfless for her own good.

Maggie turned to Eliza who was in the kitchen and asked her if she had any baby photos of Alex and Eliza's eyes crinkled in response.

"I've already got the album ready sweetheart."

And Alex groaned jokingly. "Kill me now."

xxx

They were all in the kitchen, Maggie and Alex were helping with the dinner. They were laughing and joking together while Eliza told Maggie about Alex's embarrassing childhood stories. And it felt really good- easy and nice.

Maggie excused herself to go to the bathroom and Eliza and Alex were left alone in the kitchen. Eliza turned to Alex who was preparing the salad. Alex was smiling softly to herself and Eliza lips formed a gentle smile seeing Alex like this.

"I haven't seen you this happy in so long," she said, breaking Alex out of her little daze.

Alex turned to her and her smile softened for a moment before it turned into a shy smile and she looked down, a little embarrassed that she had been so obvious.

"I haven't been this happy in a long time," she admitted and Eliza smiled softly at her, warming at Alex's admission.

Things had certainly been difficult between them for a long while. Eliza knew she had made many mistakes over the years. But she wanted to be better and things _were_ getting better slowly. All she wanted was for Alex to be happy.

And Maggie was making her happy. She thought about Maggie for a moment. When Eliza had been with them last week, she had seem how much Maggie loved and cared for her daughter. She knew what Maggie had done for Alex- what she was willing to do for her and what type of woman she was, and it made her heart feel at rest. She couldn't be happier that Alex had found someone like Maggie to share her life with.

"Maggie's a wonderful young woman," Eliza said softly- because they both knew Maggie was the reason why Alex had been smiling like that.

And Alex's emotions had been at the surface more so than usual the past week and she felt her eyes well up at that little statement. She had always longed for her mom's approval and her sincere approval of Maggie made her happy beyond compare. She just nodded out a "yeah" knowing that she would start crying if she said anything else and Eliza came over to her.

"Oh sweetie," she said, enveloping her in a hug.

At that moment Maggie came back into the kitchen and stopped when she saw them, knowing she had interrupted a moment.

"Sorry- I'll just give you a minute," she said softly but Eliza stopped her with a smile.

"No honey, you're fine, we were just chatting," she said sweetly, looking at Alex with a smile and Alex laughed to make Maggie know that it was alright.

And Maggie smiled too as she came back in. And Eliza didn't miss how Alex's expression turned love-filled when she looked at Maggie.

Maggie gave Alex a confused smile and Alex just looked at her adoringly for a second before leaning down to kiss her quickly on the lips. And Maggie fought her surprise at that because that was the first time Alex had ever done that in front of Eliza- even if she wasn't looking directly at them.

"My mom likes you," Alex whispered only loud enough for Maggie to hear, and Maggie tried to fight her grin knowing that they must have been talking about her. She chuckled softly to hide how much it affected her and Alex's grin grew wider at Maggie's adorable reaction.

xxx

After dinner, Eliza got the photo album from upstairs and they sat together in the living room, Maggie in the middle between Alex and Eliza and the album resting on Eliza and Maggie's lap.

The album was big and looked quite old and was filled with pictures only of Alex. One of the first pictures was of Alex as a toddler at the beach in a little sundress and adorable sunhat, in the middle of a laugh, holding a pail and shovel and Maggie's heart melted at how unbelievably cute Alex looked in the picture.

As they went through the album, Maggie saw Alex through every stage of her life- birthdays, holidays, awards at school- some embarrassing and some just plain adorable and they laughed together looking them.

Eliza watched them with a soft smile. She loved seeing Alex like this, and more of Maggie's personality come through. She had never had the pleasure of seeing Alex like this with anyone- so affectionate. Alex was leaning into Maggie, her hand on her knee, her eyes crinkling with her laugh and it warmed Eliza's heart all through. She was so grateful to Maggie for making Alex so happy.

They came to a picture of a young Alex in a bright pink tutu.

"Is that you?" Maggie asked around a surprised laugh, even though she knew it obviously was. "Babe I didn't know you did ballet." Eliza smiled at the teasing in Maggie's voice.

Alex tried to play off her embarrassment. "I have no memory of it that's why."

Eliza laughed. "She refused to go after the first few classes," she explained to Maggie fondly. "She was a stubborn little one."

And Maggie laughed in adoration. "Of course she was," she teased softly. "Did you choose the colour babe?" Maggie teased further looking back down at the picture- she had yet to see Alex wear pink.

Alex squeezed Maggie's knee, pretending to be offended. "Hey, just wait 'til I get my hands on your pictures," she said playfully, without thought. And she wouldn't have noticed something was wrong if she hadn't felt Maggie's laughter soften for a split second against her. Alex suddenly realised her mistake and cursed herself at her carelessness.

She had been so caught up in the teasing that she had forgotten that Maggie didn't have this- there would be no teasing over Maggie's baby photos. And she felt so stupid.

She stopped laughing and Maggie turned to her, having noticed and just smiled at Alex softly, telling her with that look that it was okay.

Eliza hadn't noticed the shift in mood. She got to a picture of Alex as a baby and laughed as she pointed it out to Maggie and that immediately distracted Alex and Maggie again. Maggie couldn't hold back her laughter at the picture of a naked baby Alex standing in the bathtub, her butt on display, and Alex gasped in mortification, taking the album from her mom and closing it.

"Okay, that's it," she snapped. "I've been embarrassed enough for one day." And Maggie laughed even harder at that.

Eliza went to put the album away and Alex turned to Maggie whose laughter had softened a little. And Maggie could tell what Alex was about to say before she even said it.

"I'm sorry, I should have-" Alex started but Maggie stopped her.

"It's not your fault," she said softly. She didn't want Alex to blame herself for anything and she didn't want her to try and hide parts of herself that she deserved to be happy about.

Alex looked at Maggie- at the strong, selfless woman in front of her and she couldn't help but imagine what she would have been like as a child and her heart hurt at the thought of how cute Maggie must have been. She would probably never get to see it for real and it made Alex so sad- she wanted to gush over Maggie.

"There's no…?" Alex asked tentatively and left the question hanging, knowing Maggie knew what she was asking.

Maggie just shook her head with a sad smile. "No, I think my parents got rid of them." She shrugged, trying to sound like she wasn't as affected by it as she was, as if she hadn't just said the most devastating thing that Alex had ever heard. But Alex saw through it and it made her heart hurt. She didn't know how anyone could give up their child, give up _Maggie_. She wanted to destroy them for doing this to her.

Maggie tried to lighten the mood. "Seriously nobody wants to see me in the awful dresses my mom used to make me wear-not cute," she said jokingly but her attempt fell short because they both knew that that wasn't true. Maggie's smile was half-hearted and Alex just leaned forward to kiss her soothingly on her lips, taking her into a hug- wordlessly because she didn't know what to say. She wanted to say that her parents didn't deserve her, she wanted to unleash her anger on them but she didn't know if that would make Maggie feel any better so she hugged her tight, holding her.

Maggie pulled back with a chuckle eventually. "I'm okay," she said with a smile. "Let's just try and enjoy the rest of the evening." She was hoping they could get back to the light-hearted atmosphere of before.

Alex just smiled at her with a soft nod.

xxx

A little while later, Alex and Maggie decided to go for a walk on the beach. They had asked Eliza if she wanted to join them but she had said it was late and told them to enjoy themselves.

Alex went to get their jackets from upstairs and Maggie and Eliza were alone for a moment. Eliza took the opportunity to talk to Maggie more seriously.

"How have you been holding up after everything sweetheart," Eliza asked.

And Maggie turned to her, a little surprised by the question. She smiled softly at the concern. "Good- I've been good."

And Eliza smiled sympathetically. "I know what it's like constantly worrying for the lives of your loved ones," she offered. And Maggie smiled, because she was a _cop-_ she had always been the one in the relationship who got worried about but she had somehow found someone with a more dangerous job than her own.

"There are some things you can't get used to no matter how many times you go through it," Eliza said sadly.

And Maggie looked at her, she knew what Eliza was trying to say. Eliza's expression was simmering with years of heaviness and it was like she trying to prepare Maggie. And Maggie's heart softened at Eliza's words.

Maggie was painfully aware of how each moment with Alex could be the last and how hard it was to try and savour every second together without thinking the worst- without letting the worries consume you. It was hard but it worked for them because they understood each other.

She tried to let herself be vulnerable in front of Eliza. "Alex is…," she paused for a moment, trying to come up with the right words. "She's worth it," she finally settled for. "I wouldn't give her up for anything," she admitted, because she wanted Eliza to know that she was strong enough to love her daughter.

And Eliza saw the strength behind Maggie's words and she admired it fiercely. She looked at Maggie for a moment, at the young woman's soft smile and determined eyes, and that quiet deep-rooted strength she seemed to possess and Eliza smiled- she could see what made Alex fall for her.

She took Maggie's hand with a soft smile and squeezed it, showing her gratitude. "Thank you for everything you've done for Alex…for making her so happy," she said sincerely.

And Maggie let out a small shy chuckle, to stop her eyes from welling up at how much Eliza's words meant to her. "She's-" Maggie voice sounded like it was going to break but she cleared her throat, forcing herself to continue. "She's done that for me too," she got out and Eliza smiled wide, tears filling her eyes. Maggie deserved to be loved and Alex loved fiercely. Eliza was so proud of the way her daughter loved- it reminded her so much of Jeremiah and it made her heart ache a little. She was so happy that both Maggie and Alex had each other.

Alex came back in at that moment and saw the emotional look on Maggie's face and tried to break the tension. "Mom we didn't come here so that you could make us both cry," she said playfully and both Maggie and Eliza turned to her, letting out a laugh at her words.

Eliza just gave Maggie a little knowing wink and gave her hand another squeeze before getting up.

"What was all that about?" Alex asked with a smile after Eliza left.

"None of your business," Maggie said with a playful smile and Alex gasped jokingly but felt her heart warm at the teasing- at seeing her mom and Maggie getting along together so well.

Maggie's smile softened. "She was just asking how I was," she told Alex and Alex smiled at her mom's concern for her girlfriend.

"And she thanked me for making you the happiest woman in the world," Maggie continued teasingly and Alex let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Pshh," she tried to dismiss but Maggie was smiling up at her with her dimples and shining eyes knowingly. "Okay, yeah whatever," she said, fighting her smile and Maggie laughed in adoration as Alex took her by the arm, leading her outside.

xxx

It was a short drive to the beach. It had been quite a warm day but the cool air had come back a little now that it was late evening. But the sky was clear and the view of it and the water was so beautiful.

There were a few other people there too, enjoying a late evening walk across the beach. Maggie and Alex held hands as they walked. Maggie remembered what Rick had said about watching them but she refused to let that maniac affect her now. She interlaced their fingers, feeling so much from the simple act of walking down the beach holding Alex's hand. Alex turned to her with a smile when she did that, clearing feeling the same way and Maggie's heart still flipped whenever Alex looked at her like that- so softly. Alex came closer to her so that they were walking shoulder to shoulder.

After a while they sat down on the sand. Alex sat behind Maggie with her chin resting on Maggie's shoulder and her arms wrapped around her, keeping each other warm. And they were both so content in that moment- just them alone together with the beautiful view in front on them. It was a rare, quiet moment and it felt so intimate.

"I love being here with you," Alex whispered into Maggie's shoulder and Maggie closed her eyes and hummed, cuddling closer into Alex, taking it all in.

Alex held her tighter. There was something about being here with Maggie that made Alex's heart feel so full. She looked at Maggie. The moonlight was shining down on her face and she looked so beautiful. She was wearing cute little earrings and Alex's gaze roamed her jaw and features and she couldn't stop looking at her. At this beautiful, strong woman who deserved all the love in the world. Alex just wanted to show her how much she loved her. There was a couple on the beach but they were far away and Alex didn't really care.

She kissed Maggie's shoulder before moving up to her jaw and then her cheek. She nuzzled her a little, nudging Maggie to look at her and Maggie tilted her head towards her with a soft smile.

Alex looked at Maggie for a moment and smiled as she let her gaze wander down to Maggie's lips and Maggie's eyes crinkled and she warmed at the look. She shifted a little so that she could take Alex's lips in hers and they both smiled into the kiss- it was slow and soft and just full of love.

Alex turned Maggie around in her arms so that she could cup Maggie's face in her hands and then leaned Maggie back until she was lying flat and Alex was hovering over her.

Maggie broke the kiss laughing, surprised at the change of position. "I'm gonna get sand in my hair," she said around a little laugh but it wasn't much of an objection as she was pulling Alex in closer.

"Worth it," Alex mumbled with a grin, taking Maggie's smiling lips back in hers.

They kissed slowly like that for a while but it gradually got more heated. It was still slow but Alex was kissing Maggie deeper now- her mouth, and jaw, and neck- and her hands were roaming Maggie's body and Maggie was getting really worked up. When Alex's hand went under her top Maggie reluctantly pulled back, breathing heavy.

"We can't have sex here," she said around a breathless chuckle.

And Alex hadn't been planning on- she had just got a little carried away but now that Maggie had mentioned it- "Why not?" she said, looking down at Maggie playfully.

Maggie laughed. "Because then I'd have to arrest us," she joked. "Plus…the sands not a good idea," she made a face. She knew from experience that sex of the beach was not all that it was cracked up to be.

Alex laughed, raising a playful eyebrow but she let it go. She took Maggie's lips back in her own. "Just kissing then…let me just kiss you under the moonlight," she mumbled hotly against Maggie's lips and Maggie smiled, humming into the kiss, not being able to resist that.

xxx

They got back to national city on Sunday evening. Maggie knew Alex had still been thinking about the picture thing- she could just tell by the way Alex behaved but she knew Alex wasn't mentioning it because she didn't want to bring something up that would upset her.

Maggie went back to her apartment to pick up a few things and while she was there she remembered that she had a picture of herself as a child. She hadn't looked at it in years or even thought about it- she had forgotten she even had it. She went to look for it- it was in a box with some other things she had stored away from her childhood. She looked down at the picture for the first time in a long time and she felt the tears well up in her eyes. This had been a photo she had always loved. She had kept it with her even before she had been kicked out. As she looked at it again she felt sorry for herself a little but she pushed it down. She remembered her life now and how lucky she was.

Her thoughts went to Alex and she smiled as she put the photo into her pocket.

xx

It was later that evening and they had just finished dinner and were now relaxing together on the couch. And Maggie decided that now was the best time to show Alex the photo. She didn't know why she felt so shy about it but she pushed that feeling down and took the photo out of her pocket.

"You know I went back to my apartment earlier to pick up a few things?" Maggie started softly to get Alex's attention and Alex turned to her.

"Yeah?"

"Well I found this," she said, trying to sound nonchalant as she handed Alex the photo.

Alex took the photo and she had a confused expression on her face until she looked down at the photo. She didn't react immediately, she just looked at it for what felt like a really long time to Maggie without saying a word and it made Maggie feel nervous.

"It's the only one I have," Maggie added as Alex still looked at the photo.

Alex was feeling a million things as she looked at the photo, because it wasn't just an ordinary photo, it was one that said so much about Maggie. She couldn't have been older than two or three, Alex assumed, she was standing in the front of a car, her tiny hands holding the wheel, smiling at someone out of the picture. There was part of someone's arm in the picture too, ready to make sure Maggie didn't fall. She had an oversized cop hat on, her dark curly hair visible under it and the biggest, most uninhibited smile on her face- her huge dimple prominent. And Alex felt a sharp ache in her chest as she looked at the picture. The little baby in this picture grew up to be the strong, kind, selfless, beautiful woman in front of her- and she did it all on her own. Alex was so amazed by her and seeing this picture made her feel it even more.

She brought her hand up to her chest to settle the feeling in her heart and Maggie's own heart fluttered as she watched Alex's reaction.

Alex looked up to see Maggie chuckling shyly and she smiled at her softly. She didn't want to start crying in front of Maggie. She swallowed, keeping her tears at bay. "I knew it," she said, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

And Maggie laughed, confused. "What?"

And Alex grinned at her. "I knew you'd be the cutest baby I've ever seen."

And Maggie laughed loud, feeling her cheeks tint a little pink at Alex's words. She was feeling so much love for Alex- Alex who was still looking down at the picture with a smile on her face.

"Alright give it back now, you're creeping me out," Maggie said teasingly trying to hide her embarrassment. She reached for the photo but Alex moved her hand away before Maggie could take it.

"No way…I have to show this to everyone," she teased and Maggie gasped, even though she knew Alex was only joking.

"Very funny Alex,' Maggie said around a laugh, trying to grab it again. But Alex pulled back with a laugh- and it somehow turned into Maggie chasing Alex around the apartment to get it off her.

There wasn't much space in the apartment so Alex didn't have many places to go. She ran into the kitchen laughing as Maggie chased her.

"Look how cute you look though!" Alex screamed as she tried to dodge Maggie.

Eventually she ran into the bedroom where she was cornered and Maggie managed to tackle Alex onto the bed- and they were both laughing at themselves. Maggie straddled Alex, and held her hands above her head, looking down at her playfully.

"Give it or I'll project your pink tutu photo all across national city." And Alex mock gasped at the threat and they looked at each other for a heated moment before cracking up laughing at their ridiculousness.

Their laughter softened, and they just looked at each other tenderly for a moment, the emotions from the photo still lingering between them.

Alex released her wrist from Maggie's gentle grip-the one with the photo in it, and she brought it down to look at again. She looked at that little girl and then back up at Maggie. And Maggie was looking down at her, open eyes and vulnerable and Alex felt her heart squeeze. She put the photo down beside them on the bed and brought her hand up to caress Maggie's cheek softly and Maggie leaned into it.

Maggie could see the tears well up in Alex's eyes again and smiled down at her softly. "It's okay," she says to try and make Alex feel better but Alex still looked at her the same, not wanting Maggie to dismiss her legitimate feelings. Alex wanted Maggie to know that she had her-regardless of whether she didn't have her family. She didn't know if it was enough but she wanted Maggie to know.

She held Maggie's face in her hands. "You'll _always_ have me," she promised, her voice soft and strong, full of emotion.

And Maggie closed her eyes to stop her tears from falling and she gulped down her emotions.

Alex gripped Maggie's face in her hands, almost pleading with Maggie to believe her. "You know that right?"

Maggie nodded, unable to say anything in that moment. She didn't voice her fears of how Alex couldn't make such promises, especially with the lives they lead. Instead she leaned her head against Alex's and then into her neck and Alex wrapped her arms around her.

"I love you so much," Alex said into Maggie's ears and Maggie felt her heart beat hard as it did whenever Alex said those words to her. She let Alex's love wash over her- the one thing she was sure of. She didn't have her family but she had Alex and that was more than she could have ever hoped for.

"I love you too," she breathed into Alex's neck and Alex gripped her tighter, holding her against her.

Hope you enjoyed it...I would love to know what you guys think:)

#Sanversendgame as always :)


End file.
